Please critique my kitchen design

[abbaroony]

We are about to start the build on an extension which will give us a long rectangular kitchen, but I’m struggling to come up with a kitchen design that ticks all the boxes.

This is what I have come up with so far on DIY kitchens. One of my problems with it is that I feel that the island is very long compared to its width.

I would really like to be able to have an island, but now I’m wondering if this is really possible. I think that having the two doors into the kitchen (left is from the dining room and right is from the hallway) is really limiting my options.

I’d really like to avoid wall cupboards. The tall cupboard on the left houses the boiler, and the one on the right is a pantry style unit where we will put some dry food and also the microwave, toaster and glassware. The washer and dryer are next to this. I was trying to avoid having to constantly walk around the island whilst cooking, so I’m imagining staying between the island / cooker / sink when cooking and having the other side as more of a laundry ‘zone’.

I don’t feel at all confident that what I’ve come up with is ‘right’ so any advice or help is really appreciated!

I posted this the other day
My room is similar size, but actually a bit wider at 4.2m.
I have a big island, 3m x 1.1m, but only one side of cabinets, I couldn’t imagine fitting another side in, it would be a bit squashed for the stools. You need to think about space when the stools push out and access to those cupboards.
I have 5 stools in a line, it works fine, especially when someone cooking the other side, but I do have a table as well, and a dining room

Is there any way or re-jigging the doors at the fridge end of the room? Taking one out so access isn't via the kitchen? (What's behind?)

If you feel that the peninsula is leaving you a lot of space consider a roving butchers block-style bit of worktop that can be moved around the room as extra workspace as required. My friend has one and it has all her herbs and spices , useful thongs like kitchen roll, baking parchment, tinfoil etc stored under, and she moves about according to where it's needed (on castors)

In my kitchen I have 1 wall with a bank of units containing fridge, freezer, ovens, etc then a couple of cupboards for hob. I then have island with sink, dishwashers, bins and seating then against the far wall I have higher 33 inch deep cupboards for all crockery, glasses etc. If you do the sums allow 600mm for appliances, 1000mm for walkway, min 900mm for island and seating, 1000 walkway behind seating, remaining space is what you have for further cupboards.

@MrsMoastyToasty

I think that islands will soon go the way of avocado bathroom suites- a fashion that is best left behind. I'd suggest a table and chairs. At least if you get a set that is too small or large you can sell it and get one in a different size.

Not just me! I think we’re past peak island too.

@Midlifephoenix there is at least a metre between the island and the other units. I don’t really want a chair and tables instead of the sofas - we will have seating at the island / peninsula and then the dining room just off the kitchen so a third dining seating area seems overkill. I was hoping the sofa area could be somewhere children could play whilst I’m doing stuff in the kitchen and be able to keen an eye on them. Yes you’re absolutely right about professional kitchen designers, I am on the waiting lists for a few but just being impatient!

@Ariela behind the door on the left is the dining room, and the one on the right is the hallway. We could block the one into the dining room up but I’d rather avoid that if possible as it’s so handy and would then make the route between the kitchen and the dining room v convoluted. The small island on castors sounds like a great idea!

@Veuvestar wow your kitchen is lovely! seeing the photos is so useful and makes me realise that I’m trying to squeeze too much in. Does your island have cupboards / drawers on both sides or just one? And how much overhang does the worktop have to allow the seats to tuck under?

An island really needs to be 1m deep min plus 1.2m each side for walkways plus 0.6m each side for cabinets so a minimum of 4.6m room width. You could get away with less if you only have a cabinet run one side but then you need a window or other focal point instead.

Your kitchen needs to be orientated towards the window. Light will be an issue. Do you have a utility? I would be tempted to put in an internal wall for a utility at the back of the room. This will also make the room less gallery like.

You could always have a little movable island if you feel the central space is too large e.g images.app.goo.gl/eMvame1Ma8a334JN6

@titchy the bit that you suggest making a utility room is going to be a downstairs WC which I’m afraid I’m not willing to give up! It could be moved somewhere else within the room though.

@Londonmummy66 haha we might have to just agree to disagree on that one. I wouldn’t eat my evening meal there, but for a quick breakfast, coffee in the morning or lunch during the week it seems ideal to me! Also i imagine whichever one of us isn’t cooking our dinner, sitting there chatting to the one who is cooking, and catching up on our day, but perhaps I am overly romanticising this!!

@murbblurb but would replacing the island with a table not effectively end up with the same problem?

@Weepingwillow22 no we don’t have a utility. I’d quite like to add one but I couldn’t work out where to put it without turning the entrance of the kitchen into a long corridor.

I have amended the plans based on keeping the island but getting rid of the third run of units. Do you think this works better? It feels more in proportion to me.

Where is your dining room? Is there any option to knock through to the dining room to create something more open plan so you can have your kitchen with island/peninsula, table and family area together? I think a separate dining room isn't that practical, but it may not be an option for you.

Can you upload your downstairs floorplans? I think it would help with the layout. Are you extension plans confirmed or can you still make changes?

With that space I would definitely look at creating a separate utility room next to your downstairs loo, or even a lootility. With a big, open plan kitchen/family room you don't want to be thinking can I put the washer on or will the noise be irritating/a disturbance?

Do you have a floorplan of your downstairs we can look at? Why not have a big kitchen diner and make the current dining room a sitting room or family room?

Actually mine is 3.9. down the other end with the fireplace was 4.2, the cabinets are flush but the wall goes out.
It’s less than 60 for the units, 1.2m walkway, 1.1m for the island, the overhang bit is 25cm, but the stools don’t tuck in completely and there are 20cm little cabinets in there, hidden drinks cabs!
You could just do it if you reduce walkways to 90 and have island at 90. But it might be a bit squashed.
Can you get 50cm cabinets?

I don't think I will ever be without my island.
Love it. Can't be doing with a 600mm deep worktop. My island is 1m x1.8m. Hob is in Island. 2 seats at one end. Only need 250mm overhang for seats. If you get bar chairs at the correct height with a high back they are very comfortable.

Oh don't lose the downstairs loo! Floor plan would help though :)

The fridge between the two doors is odd and I think if you've no right hand run you're still empathising the long thin shape and losing a lot of units. I still think a peninsular is better aesthetically and gives you the full height units you had on the right.

If you eat in the dining room that's fine, but make the peninsular wide/deep enough to seat all of you for lunch/breakfast. (We have an island with stools and eat our evening meals there so as long as it's big enough it's fine!)

Could you put hob in island and have tall housing unit for microwave and oven. Make storage space in tall larder units next to oven housing. You have some worktop next to sink. Currently you will have your back to people when you are cooking. 1m is definitely enough space between island and wall units.

What about a slim island with seating at the end? I took this photo in a showroom when I was looking at kitchens last year as I liked the curve.

I would put kitchen units in a U at the end away from the patio doors on the back wall and two sides with a peninsula across which leaves space for dining area and sitting area. I always think you don't need lots of floor space in kitchens just a practical layout with a good dining space and setting area if there is room . I don't want to sit amongst the washing up.

You would need to place a large focal point (statement picture) on the empty wall.

Could you have a smaller island and then use narrow wall cupboards and floor units so they take up a lot less space but still give some worktop space.

I like the last plan best with only one run of wall units.

@Veuvestar Your floor is gorgeous -- what is it?

Thanks everyone, here is the floor plan, sorry about all the red text but hopefully you can see past this! The external walls can’t be changed but we could change the internal walls if you think that I could get a better layout by doing that?

Turn loo into utility. Put loo under stairs. I'd be tempted to block up the door to the dining room tbh. That would give you the option to have a run of units at the top. Maybe move the dining room door up the hallway a bit so it's right next to the kitchen door.

Or knock down the wall between dining room and kitchen entirely and have one huge open plan kitchen/dining/family room! You wouldn't then need the hallway which could become loo and utility.

I wouldn't have the dining room in the middle of the house, I'd put the table at the very back, by the doors.
I'd also create a loo & utility (combined or otherwise) in the middle of the house.

The dining room will have no natural light unless you open it up!

Just to clarify, there won’t be a door between the kitchen and the dining room - it will just be an archway as wide as it’s possible to make it.

The dining room will get ‘second hand’ natural light from the kitchen, but at the moment it gets absolutely no natural light and it’s absolutely fine so not too worried about that.